Dragons in Paradise
by Time-Travelling Llama
Summary: I have had dragons on the brain a bit lately and so this was born and I hope you like it! :D Also after reading an interview with Steven Moffat where he said that the Doctor hadn't just met Clara three times it got me thinking about the other times and ways he might have met her. :)
1. Chapter 1

'After you!'

Clara poked her head out of the bright blue doors into the sunlight of a beautiful jungle paradise. Clara's eyes widened at the sight of the natural beauty. Tall ancient trees towered high into the purple blue sky with twin suns lighting up the the forest floor. Stepping out onto the grassy floor Clara bounced on the soft ground. The Doctor followed her out with a confident stride. He straightened his bow-tie and looked up to the sky with a grin on his face.

'What do you think then?' he asked expectantly.

'The floor bounces!' The Doctor grinned again.

'I know, it's cool isn't it!' he asked rhetorically and began bouncing around with a childlike joy sparkling in his leaf green eyes. 'and,' he paused '...right by the sea too!' He span round on the bouncy grass with a leap presenting the perfectly clear turquoise waters of the ocean. He ran off down to the beach leaving Clara standing in the clearing looking around at the new world. Realizing the Doctor wasn't coming back she ran after him.

'DOCTOR!' she called out. 'Doctor, what are you looking at?' Catching up she found quite difficult, the soft sand slipping and sliding beneath her feet. She tripped up falling into a shadow in the golden sand. Scrambling to her feet she found the Doctor already beside her and helping her up. Shaking Clara tried to dislodge the sand from her clothes but like a baby monkey it clung tight in the weave of her jumper she turned to the Doctor for advice but instead found him closely examining the cause of her stumble. It was like a footprint of a lizard but in giant proportions. All along the beach she saw the giant tracks crisscrossing some disappearing into the jungle but others ending abruptly in the middle of the beach.

'Amazing isn't it!' The Doctor said beaming. 'I love new planets!'

'Are they dinosaur tracks?' she asked intrigued, still trying to brush away the sand.

'No I don't think so... well possibly... to tell you the truth I have no idea! That's what makes it so exciting!'

'But why do some of the tracks just stop like that? What made them?' A faint sound, carried in the wind, answered her query. A distant sound of beating wings caused the pair to look out to the sea. Dark silhouettes filled the skyline. Dragons. Gleaming in the stray rays of light the majestic creatures sparkled in the afternoon sun. Clara stood speechless just watching the procession of dragons march proudly forwards through the open air. 'Wow.' she murmured under her breath but just loud enough that the Doctor could hear. He nodded in agreement and silently, almost respectfully, they stayed a while, just watching.

Unfortunately the Doctor knew it couldn't last but he found it hard to look away. They had to leave though they were trespassing and he knew it wasn't likely they would be welcome here. They had to get back to the TARDIS and leave the paradise of dragons in peace and tranquility once more.

'Clara?' her awe induced trance was broken by his voice and she looked to him startled.

'Doctor?' She asked, suddenly concerned. The Doctor sensed her worries and tried to comfort her.

'No, it's okay.' he reassured her. 'But we have to leave them now. This is their world, their home. I'm not sure if they would appreciate us trespassing.' he smiled gently. Clara nodded.

'Everything is so beautiful here, but we would be a bit outnumbered if they decided they didn't like us. Okay let's leave them in peace.' She agreed with a smile. 'Dragons though, how are we going to beat that!' The Doctor laughed.

'Well,' he said, 'I'll certainly do my best!' he laughed. 'I'll put the TARDIS on random and see where we end up!'


	2. Chapter 2

As they made their way back slipping quietly through the jungle they found themselves once more in the clearing. The Doctor and Clara froze. Desperately trying to breath as shallowly as possible they stood stunned at beautiful creature that greeted them. Even from a distance Clara could see their beauty but up close they were even more spectacular than she could have ever imagined. The dragon stood as tall as the TARDIS it's deep crimson scales glowing in the sunlight. Its tail fading into a majestic purple at it's tip with golden spines flowing from top to bottom and large purple wings tipped with gold too. Standing with its back to them both and the TARDIS the Doctor signaled to Clara to get as close as possible to the TARDIS. She looked at him, not for the first time, with disbelief.

_ There's a dragon. _She mimed.

_I know. _He mimed back, _On the count of three_. Clara shook her head but he lifted his hand and started to count down on his fingers.

ONE.

TWO.

THREE.

Given her lack of impact Clara kept beside the Doctor as they quickly and as quietly approached the dragon and the TARDIS. It would be better to face a dragon with the Doctor than without him; not to mention the several approaching from the other direction. When she had reached the TARDIS Clara had to stop herself from breathing a sigh of relief. They weren't done yet. The hardest part was yet to come. The doors were on the other side. As she stood wondering what they would do next The Doctor carefully reached into to his pocket pulling out a small leather wallet holding it out for her to see. Looking down Clara saw a message written to her from the Doctor.

_ I can speak dragon, I can try and talk to it?_

Clara took the wallet from him and focussed on her response. When the Doctor got it back he stifled a smile as he read the bold capitals of her message. She had a stern, worried, expression as she looked at the Doctor.

_**Don't even try it! **_

__He looked into her chocolate brown eyes apologetically and returned the psychic paper with a little silver key nestled inside before stepping out from behind the TARDIS right beside the dragon. She was surprised by the sudden action and looked to read his final reply.

_Get in the TARDIS, she will keep you safe. I will distract the dragon. _

As the Doctor started talking catching the large dragons attention, Clara crept around from the opposite direction to the TARDIS doors, but she couldn't leave him. She could still help him. Turning the key she gently opened the door but she didn't go in.

'Hello I'm the Doctor, how are you?' The Doctor said with a false confidence and a bravado. He didn't want Clara to worry about him; he just wanted her safe. The last time she had died to save him and he thought, it was time he paid her back. As the dragon turned to face him the Doctor was shocked as he stared into the dragons eyes. 'Oh...' The deep chocolate eyes that stared back at him held no sign of recognition but he knew it was her. 'Clara?' he asked confused. The mighty dragon nodded stretching out her wings the gold tips shining in the light.

Upon hearing her name Clara peered from behind the dragon to look at the Doctor. She waved trying to catch his attention but he instead was staring in bewilderment and curiosity into the eyes of the dragon. He wasn't addressing her when he spoke but instead the dragon.

'How is this possible.' she heard him say quietly. Jumping up and down waving she tried once more to get the Doctors attention. This time with more success. Movement caught the Doctor's attention briefly and he looked over to see the human Clara jumping around on the bouncy grass. Noticing his gaze the dragon, Clara, turned suddenly finding herself standing behind her. Cocking her head to one side she looked intently at her human form. The Doctor made his way round to stand at her side to explain. Not that he really knew; he had thought she couldn't have been any more impossible but he was wrong. Instead he found himself introducing her.

'Clara... meet Clara.'


	3. Chapter 3

Clara backed away slowly as the dragon, herself? Came in for a closer look. Looking into the dragons eyes she knew she was the dragon. She turned to the Doctor baffled.

'Doctor?' her voice raised in pitch betraying her confusion and nervous disposition. 'How is this possible.' The Doctor was still staring with fascination at Clara the dragon. He turned to her as if about to answer but looked away again unable to. He instead shrugged with uncertainty.

'Weirder things have happened.' Clara raised an eyebrow. 'Well okay not really.' He scratched his head trying desperately to figure it out. 'You're are a dragon, and you're are a human. Well if anyone was going to be a dragon it's you.' he sighed. 'Impossible.'

'That's what you said before, you said I was the impossible girl, why did you say that? You said you would explain but you never did?'

'You're a dragon what more do you need!' the Doctor said jokily avoiding the question again. Before Clara had a chance to bring the topic up again he begin making all manner of noises presumably trying to communicate with the dragon. After several minutes of failed attempts at communication both Clara's giving him the exact same look the a light turned on in the Doctor's head. 'Stupid Doctor! You understood when I called your name, you can understand me you just can't reply. She nodded and looked up to the sky blowing a tall orange flame into the sky as if to say _At last_! 'Sorry Clara.' the Doctor said. 'Okay so where are you living?' Clara flicked her head back and flattened her glistening wings as if in invitation.

'You want us to ride you there?' Clara asked. She nodded. Clara looked skeptical but the Doctor interrupted her thought.

'It will be okay Clara...' he paused. 'You know this is a bit confusing. Do you mind if I call one of you Oswald.' The dragon bowed her head volunteering. 'Thank you.' he smiled. 'Right then Clara get on Oswald.' Clara couldn't help but laugh.

'This is so weird.' She said trying to get onto Oswald's back. Using the grass to bounce herself higher she managed to clamber on. The Doctor followed her using the same technique and making it up first time.

'Hold on Clara.' he whispered in her ear. 'Ready Oswald!' Clara clung onto one Oswald's golden spikes as Oswald shot up into the clouds. Looking down on what she could now see was an island. She saw the great forests and perfect beaches stretching out as far as the eye could see. More dragons sat on the beach leaving their giant tracks along the shore line as the turquoise waters swept in fading them out once more. At the centre of the island purple mountains stood tall and proud and vast fields of rainbows of beautiful tropical flowers and flora coated the ground around them. The dragons Clara had seen varied in colour and size but all were equally beautiful and every new landscape was equally breathtaking. It was a paradise. Suddenly Oswald began to circle in the sky above a small lake in the mountains.

'Looks like we are here. Hold on Clara.' he warned. Seconds later they were plummeting towards the ground just over the sound of the rushing wind Clara heard a faint GERANIMO! She held on tight as the wind rushed by but she felt like she was slipping further down each second.

'OSWALD! PULL UP!' she shouted desperately. 'OSWALD!' Oswald heard her and pulled up; gliding down to the lakeside she landed gently on more bouncy grass in front of a large cave. Clara got off quickly, disorientated but happy to be on the ground once more. The Doctor as usual seemed unaffected as he thanked Oswald for the journey and slid down from her back. Clara went to sit down but the Doctor called her over to the caves entrance. Peering inside Clara was surprised to see a relatively advanced living space; she couldn't help but wonder if this was her future, though how she could have become a dragon was beyond her.

'Oswald, the dragons are they like you?' she asked. 'Were you always a dragon? Were they?' Oswald shook her head and then shrugged.

'I doubt they interact.' The Doctor deduced. 'If you woke up in a society of dragons would you try and talk to them? Especially since you don't know the language, and the only language you do know you lack the correct vocal chords to produce.' Oswald made a growling sound proving his point. Her large brown eyes had a sadness in them that made the Doctor's hearts ache. 'How long have you been here Clara?' he asked using her name to try and comfort her as a large tear rolled down her scales landing on the moss covered ground. Oswald pawed at the ground six times and the Doctor's hearts sank further. 'Years?' he asked receiving a nod he went in closer and attempted to hug her. 'I'm so sorry Clara, I won't let this happen to you, I promise I'll do anything I can to help you.' Clara stood stunned in the corner tears building in her eyes. What if this was her future? Alone for six years? No one to talk to and no clue what happened? The Doctor looked back to Clara seeing the tears in her eyes she pulled her in hugging her tight. Keeping her close trying to protect her. 'It will be okay Clara.' he said. 'Both of you. Whatever is going on here I promise you we will get to the bottom of this.'

The Doctor stayed up all night while Clara and Oswald slept exhausted in the safety of the cave. He had to figure out what was going on here and he knew he had to stop it. He couldn't let this happen to her, to his Clara.

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Author's Note: I wanted to get this uploaded before The Name of the Doctor tonight... I am ridiculously excited ! :D :D :D but I just wanted to say that though this might not make sense after we find out who Clara is, I am going to carry on with it anyway! :) Also if you don't ever hear from me again you'll know what did it!

I hope you like it and thank you for reading and I wish you all luck tonight!


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